Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations In SE Texas and the tilapia have survived winter

Put 15 pounds in a 1.5 acre last spring and I'm starting to see adults along the banks. Do I assume all the adults are still around, and what do I need to watch for in cases of overpopulation?

Yes that is exactly right , Please keep us posted as to what you see and learn. What else is in the pond ? May have to seine some out for sale or move to another location.

I've wondered about this myself. Without touching on Verboten subject matter, it does appear to me that the general trend may be heading towards warmer weather. If this occurs, what happens to the Tilapia laden ponds down south? It's often said that the winter die off is exactly what you want to happen, so what's the plan if it doesn't always work out that way?

Manual removal, or hope that the predator/prey ratio sustains itself accordingly?

Texas 715 has had this happen yearly in S TX.

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=11605&Number=130130#Post130130

Largemouth, bluegill, redear, some hybrid stripers and a handful of channel catfish. fed pond.

I don't see any small tilapia right now, and didn't see many before winter last year.

How many adults do you see ? Do you think the predators are eating all the offspring ?

I've actually seen about a dozen unique individuals on about 1/5 of the total edge of my pond.

Haven't noticed any small ones this spring.

Well...Unless we get a historic cold front that sticks around for a week, my tilapia survived again this year.

During '16 we saw a few more offspring than in '15, but not really more than we saw of young bluegill. The offspring seem to get to about 6" and then we don't see them again after late fall.

I'm still thinking it's almost all just the stockers surviving, which was maybe 4 dozen fish. I see them on open bank when we have had calm, sunny days in at least the 70's (a lot this winter).

It was warm enough throughout the winter that I actually caught one of the tilapia on a small crappie jig this January. Beautiful fish that put up a great fight.

Don't have actual temp measurements, but my pond has stayed warm enough that I've had catfish on the surface feeding all winter during feeds.

My thoughts are that tilapia are more susceptible to predation when the water is cooler and it slows them down. They seem to be considerable less "quick" when water temps are 65 vs 85-90. Could give an advantage to predators that can feed on them.

Just curious, how big are the survivors?

This is not the first report of tilapia surviving winter in south TX. See TX 715 link above.

There is a Generator lake near me in E. Texas, where Tp were bucket stocked (as told by the Texas Parks and Wildlife). The lmb seems to be growing nicely there. The warm water from the cooling system of the Electric plant, seems to be helping the Tp survive yr round.

about 4 pounds or so on the fish I've seen.

And I should note that I'm on the very north end of what you'd consider the Houston Metro. About right where I45 goes switches from 2 to 3 lanes fwiw.

Right you are Taylor. I have been stocking Tp for 4 years now and always have some of the larger fish survive the winter. My theory is that they are big enough to survive the predation from predators and maybe lucky when the cold puts them in torpor. I saw a school of nine yesterday in shallow water. They were all about 2-3 pounds and pretty active when approached. I have never seen any under a foot in length survive and definitely not fry or yoy. I live in Shelby County about 9 miles north of San Augustine. Quite a bit north of you. We had frost this weekend at 34 F. Early in the spring each year they have to dodge Bald Eagles that prey on them when they are basking in the sun on top water. We have had Eagles each spring since I put them in! My pond is about 6 acres and has been at or above 70 F at 6 inches in the mid day for a couple of weeks now. I have had some cnbg spawn but I think it was just from precocious fish. They were on beds but have moved away now.
Tom Sterling
Shelby County